Devo returns

[Don]

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/37616517/ ... rtainment/

LONDON — The alternative music act Devo, best known for its 1980 hit "Whip It," is pioneering a new method to help win fan approval. It is asking them what they want to hear.

Singer and co-founder Mark Mothersbaugh told Reuters Television that the U.S. band's first album for 20 years -- "Something for Everybody" -- was shaped through an online campaign which asked fans for their opinions.

"We thought people understood us enough to make observations which could be really important," he said.

The resulting disc bears a promotional sticker that reads "88 percent focus group approved."

Fans helped whittle a selection of 16 songs down to 12 which appear on the album, selected the new color for the band's trademark flower pot hats (blue rather than red) and even issued decisive advice on the cover art.

"The focus group liked the picture of the woman eating a piece of candy in the shape of a Devo hat," Mothersbaugh said.

The campaign was devised by U.S. advertising agency Mother.

"People nowadays really don't like surprises," Mother creative director Bill Moulton told Reuters. "They look at surprise as something negative, as something scary."

Forrester Research media analyst Mark Mulligan said the band's approach made sense in an era where fewer fans were buying music.

"The relationship between fans and artists is much closer than it was before and will continue to become closer, and that's simply because the role of record labels cannot be relied upon as a guarantee of success anymore," Mulligan said.
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Devo frontman Mothersbaugh said the band's focus group strategy is also meant as a statement in itself.

"We were doing it both for real and also kind of a little bit as a joke, poking fun at pop culture."

[gr8dane]

Good luck to them.
Saw them in the fall playing their first album in it's entirety.
Outstanding.
One of a kind.

[S2M]

Wow. What a novel concept. 'What the fans want to hear'.....

Imagine what could have been if more bands did this instead of basically saying, 'This what we are releasing, 2 killer tracks, 3 so-so songs, and 6 pieces of shit...oh, and the style's changed too...take it, or leave it!'

[Saint John]

'This what we are releasing, 2 killer tracks, 3 so-so songs, and 266 pieces of shit' ...

[yulog]

'This what we are releasing, 2 killer tracks, 3 so-so songs, and 266 pieces of shit' ...

[mrsromek]

They must have fans out there if they can still play live and draw a crowd. Kudos to them for making new music and not re-hashing the 80's stuff like most other 80's acts.

[The Sushi Hunter]

I heard a rumor (or maybe it was a fact....I don't really know) but back in the 80's I heard that Bon Jovi did the same thing with a group of kids.....brought them in and had them listen to a bunch of origianl music and then asked them what they thought about it. Apparently from the rumor I heard, after collecting the data from the "focus group", tailored their sounds/music towards that feedback.

In the case of Devo, do you think they will "lose" the red upside-down flower pots?

[Suzanne]

They must have fans out there if they can still play live and draw a crowd. Kudos to them for making new music and not re-hashing the 80's stuff like most other 80's acts.

My 15 yr old niece is going to see them in concert with Smashing Pumpkins and Cake (and a bunch of others) at the Forecastle Festival here in Louisville in July. I had no idea they were doing new stuff but was pleased she was into them. My sister loved Devo back in the 80's so I figured she'd turn my niece onto them.

[Jana]

I'm a junkie for '80s New Wave music, but never got into Devo, save a few hits. Of course, they're not a British band. That must be it.